State high court upholds abortion waiting periods

The Indiana Supreme Court voted 4-1 to require women seeking an abortion to receive counseling from a medical professional -- in person -- and then wait 18 hours before undergoing the abortion. \nThe Indiana Supreme Court ruled Nov. 23 that a medical professional must offer to provide the woman with a picture or drawing of a fetus and the dimensions of the fetus. The medical professional must also inform the woman of the risks of and possible alternatives to an abortion. The woman must also be informed of the medical assistance available for prenatal care and childbirth. She must also be informed that the child's father is legally responsible to financially support the child. Theresa Browning, director of communications for Planned Parenthood of Indiana, said the law makes abortion less accessible.\n"It's unfortunate because the women impacted by the law are poor, rural women," Browning said.\nShe also said the law causes many inconveniences to a woman who wants an abortion. A woman might have to leave work, explain to her boss her reason for leaving, find childcare and pay for gas because she must make two trips instead of one to have an abortion, Browning said. \nOf Planned Parenthood's 39 locations in Indiana, only three perform abortions, including the one in Bloomington. About 56 percent of the abortions performed in 2003 in Monroe County were on women ages 18 to 24, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. \nMonroe County is one of only five counties in Indiana with an abortion clinic and the only one south of Indianapolis. The others are located in Marion, Lake, Allen and St. Joseph counties. Browning said this is because of the large population of young women in Bloomington. Monroe County, though, performs fewer abortions than Marion, Lake and Allen counties.\nIndiana is a largely rural state, Browning said, and any woman in Indiana who lives south of Bloomington must travel a long distance to undergo the procedure.\nBut Mike Fichter, executive director of Indiana Right to Life, said the law does not make the procedure inconvenient for the women because they can consult any medical professional, such as their family physician or any health clinic, in their area. \nFichter said the new 18-hour waiting period gives women time to think about the information from the medical professional. A woman can go home, analyze the information and discuss it with others.\n"An abortion cannot be erased," Fichter said. "In-person counseling gives opportunities for questions the woman wants to address. Written information does not allow for that."\nBrowning said for the past 10 years the information about abortion was given to women either over the phone or through the mail. She said meeting in person with a medical professional is not necessary.\n"The law creates delays that make abortions occur later in the pregnancy," Browning said. "Information is important, but this borders on harassment of women."\nFichter said the new law will lower the number of abortions in Indiana.\n"It will help to reduce the number of abortions and give women the opportunity to think through their decision"